Mechanical counter

ABSTRACT

A mechanical counter comprises a plurality of presettable digit wheels, a plurality of counting digit wheels associated with respective ones of said presettable digit wheels, and a lever, which is movable about a pivotal axis. Said presettable digit wheels are carried by said lever for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and spaced from said pivotal axis. The lever is pivotally movable between a counting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are in engagement with said counting digit wheels and adapted to be driven thereby, and a presetting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are disengaged from said counting digit wheels. A presetting mechanism is provided for presetting each of said presettable digit wheels and has teeth on said presettable digit wheel, first and second stationary cross-bars, which are transversely spaced apart and extend parallel to said pivotal axis, a presetting slider having a stepping nose and a lug, a tension spring connected between said lug and said first cross-bar, and actuating means operable to move said slider against the force of said spring from said first position to a second position. The tension spring tends to return said slider from said second position to said first position. Said first and second cross-bars limit said movement of said slider to said first and second positions, respectively. Constraining means are provided, which constrain said slider to move from said first position to said second position along such a path that said nose engages one of said ratchet teeth and imparts a predetermined angular movement to said presettable digit wheel when said lever is in said presetting position, and which permit said nose to skip said ratchet teeth as said slider returns from said second position to said first position when said lever is in said presetting position.

United States Patent: [191 Neher 41 MECHANICAL COUNTER [75] lnventor: Hans Neher, Ma

1 Schinenbautechniker, Hausen am Tann, Germany [73] Assignee: J. Hengstler K. G., Uhlandstrasse,

Germany 22 Filed: June 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 366,621

Primary Examiner-Stephen .l. Tomsky [57] ABSTRACT A mechanical counter comprises a plurality of presettable digit wheels, a plurality of counting digit wheels associated with respective ones of said presettable digit wheels, and a lever, which is movable about a [451 May 14,1974

pivotal axis. Said presettable digit wheels are carried by said lever for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and spaced from said pivotal axis. 'The lever is pivotally movable between a counting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are in engagement with said counting digit wheels and adapted to be driven thereby, and a presetting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are disengaged from said counting digit wheels. A presetting mechanism is provided for presetting each of said presettable digit wheels and has teeth on said presettable digit wheel, first and second stationary cross-bars, which are transversely spaced apart and extend parallel to said pivotal axis, a presetting slider having a stepping nose and a lug, a tension spring connected between said lug and said first cross-bar, and actuating means operable to move said slider against the force of said spring from said-first position to a second position. The tension spring tends to return said slider from said second position to said first position. Said first and second crossbars limit said movement of said slider to said first and second positions, respectively. Constraining means are provided, which constrain said slider to move from said first position to said second position along such a path that said nose engages one of said ratchet teeth and imparts a predetermined angular movement to said presettable digit wheel when said lever is in said presetting position, and which permit said nose to skip said ratchet teeth as said slider returns from said second position to said first position when said lever is in said presetting position.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAY 14 1914 SHEET 2 BF 3 Fig. 2

PATENTEUHAY 14 m4 SHEEI 3 U? 3 Fig. 3

. 1 M CHANICAL COUNTE are in mesh with stepping wheels, whichare disengageable when resetting is desired, presettable digit wheels,

which are pivotally movable between a counting posi tion, in which they mesh with respective ones of said counting digit wheels, and a presetting position, in which they are disengaged from said counting digit wheels, and push-buttons which are operable to preset said presettable digit wheels.

In presettable counters, the resetting or zero-setting operation must be reliably controlled and the presetting mechanism is of like importance for the satisfac tory operation so as to avoida wrong presettingas a result of malfunction and misoperation'.

It is an object of theinvention to ensure a satisfactory and reliably presetting of mechanical counters. To accomplish this object, the presetting device provided according to the invention for presettable counters of the kind defined first hereinbefore is characterized in that presetting sliders are longitudinally slidably guided on bars and provided with switching noses, and these slide'rs' are held'by respective tension springs connected between a barand a slider-operating'lever provided at the end of the slider, which spring serves to return the slider and enables it to skip a detent position. Because one spring serves two functions, the structure is -simplified and trouble is avoided.

The presetting sliders have guide slots, one of which serves to guide the slider for a' sliding and rotational movement for resiliently skipping the detent positions, and the second guide consists of a slot which is oversize in width and has a surface against which the slider is held by spring force; The presetting sliders have lugs, into which the springs can be hooked and which have such a length as to enable the dual function of the spring, namely return and detent position skipping.

According to a further feature of the invention the presetting sliders cooperate with push-buttons which are inserted in apertures of the hood and which snap into detent positions under the action of spring elements, which are provided on and particularly comolded with said push buttons and which in said detent positions serve also to limit the return movement of the push-button.

An embodiment of the presetting device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, which shows a portion of a counter in fragmentary views. I

FIGS. 1 to 3 show the presetting device in position of rest and in two operating positions, during forward and return movements, respectively.

FIG. 1 shows the embodiment of the invention in a state in which it is ready to count. A plate 1 carries crossbars 2 and 3, which serve as guides for the preset ting sliders 4, which are urged by respective tension springs against the cross-bar 3 in position of rest. Each presetting slider 4 is provided at its end with a lug 6, into which the tension spring 5 is hooked. The hooking of each spring in a lug 6 and the guiding cross-bars 2 and 3 determine the spring action on the presetting slider 4 in the longitudinal direction to return the pushbutton and in a radial direction for skipping adetent position. The cross-bar 2 serves also as a pivot bearing.

lnthe position shown in FIG. 1, the presettable digit wheels 7 are in mesh with the counting digit wheels 8. The presettable digit wheels 7 are mounted on an axle 9 carried by the bridge 10, which is pivotally movable in the direction indicated by the arrow A by the distance which is determined by the slot 11. This pivotal movement is opposed by a spring 12, which is hooked on a pin 13 and in a bore 14 of the bridge 10 to hold the wheel 7 in mesh with the associated wheel 8. A lever 15 provided with a handle 16 serves to impart to the bridge 10 a pivotal movement to the extent determined by the slot 11.

FIG. 2 shows this arrangement in a position which results from a pivotal movement of the bridge about the axis of the pivot 17. The axle 9 carrying the presettable digit wheels 7 now engages the other end of the slot 11. In this position, the teeth 18 of each presettable digit wheel can be adjusted by means of the stepping nose 19 of the presetting slider 4 in that thepush-b'utton 20 is depressed in direction B. This causes the presetting slider 4 to be depressed so that the presettable digit wheel 7 is stepped accordingly. Each step is limited by a detent position, which is determined by a detent spring 22 secured to a bar 21.

FIG. 3 shows the bridge 10 in the same position and indicates how the'stepping nose 19 of the presetting slider 4 skips over a ratchet tooth 18 of the associated presettable digit wheel 7 during the return movement of the presetting slider 4. The slot 23 which is oversize in width and engages the cross-bar 3 permits of an outward pivotal'movement of the presetting slider 4 about the cross-bar 2 against the force of the tension spring 5. To enable this outward pivotal movement, each push-button 20 is separate from the associated presetting slider 4 and is mounted in a guide 24 in the cover hood 25. Because the push-button has an enlarged head, it can be inserted from above so that the two locking springs 26 integrally connected to the bushbutton snap into position. These detent springs 26 serve also to limit the returnmovement of the pushbutton.

The embodiment which has been selected by way of example consists of a presettable adding counter. Such counter can be preset in that the presettable digit wheels are swung off and set and that the counting mechanism is set to zero at the same time by an operation of the zero-setting key. This sequence of operation is enforced because the presettable digit wheels cannot be swung out for a presetting unless the zero-setting key has been operated. This is known and has not been specifically shown. Other known functions for the generation of a signal have also been omitted because they are not related to the presetting device according to' the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanical counter, which comprises a plurality of counting digit wheels, a plurality of presettable digit wheels associated with respective ones of said counting digit wheels, and a lever, which is movable about a pivotal axis, said presettable digit wheels being carried by said lever for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and spaced from said pivotal axis, said lever being pivotally movable-between a counting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are in engagement with said counting digit wheels and adapted to be driven thereby, and a presetting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are disengaged from said 3,81 1,032 3 4 counting digit wheels, the provision of a presetting tion to said first position, mechanism for presetting each of said presettable digit said first and second cross-bars extend through said wheels, said presetting mechanism comprising first and second guide slots, respectively,

ratchet teeth on said presettable digit wheel, first and second stationary cross-bars, which are said first guide slot has a width which exceeds the di- 5 ameter of said first cross-bar, transversely spaced apart and extend parallel to said second guide slot has a width which is substansaid pivotal axis, tially as large as the diameter of said second crossa presetting slider having a stepping nose and a lug, bar, and

' said tension spring is arranged to urge said nose a tension spring connected between said lug and said 0 toward said ratchet teeth.

first cross-bar, and 3. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 2, in actuating means operable to move said slider against which the force of said spring from a first position to a said tension spring is connected to said lug at a point second position, which is spaced from said second guide slot by such said tension spring tending to return said slider from a distance that when said lever is in said presetting said second position to said first position, position said guide slots permit said spring to return said first and second cross-bars limiting said movesaid slider from said second to said first position ment of said slider to said first and second posiand permit said nose to skip said ratchet teeth. tions, respectively, 4. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in constraining means being provided which constrain which said slider to move from said first position to said said actuating means comprise a push-button which second position along such a path that said nose enis separate from and engages said slider and degages one of said ratchet teeth and imparts a predepressible to move the same from said first to said termined angular movement 'to said presettable second position, digit wheel when said lever is in said presetting poa push-button guide is provided, in which said pushsition and which permit said nose to skip said button is depressible and arranged to be returned ratchet teeth as said slider returns from said second as said slider returns from said second to said first position to said first position when said lever is in position, and said presetting position. said push-button comprises spring means protruding 2. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in from said guide toward said slider and limiting the which return movement of said push button.

said constraining means comprise first and second 5. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 4, in guide slots, which are formed in said slider and which said push-button guide is formed at least in part when said lever is in said presetting position permit by an aperture in a hood of said counter. of a movement of said slider between said first and 6. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 4, in second positions and a pivotal movement of said which said spring means are integrally molded with said slider so as to permit said nose to skip said ratchet push-button. teeth as said slider returns from said second posi- 

1. In a mechanical counter, which comprises a plurality of counting digit wheels, a plurality of presettable digit wheels associated with respective ones of said counting digit wheels, and a lever, which is movable about a pivotal axis, said presettable digit wheels being carried by said lever for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and spaced from said pivotal axis, said lever being pivotally movable between a counting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are in engagement with said counting digit wheels and adapted to be driven thereby, and a presetting position, in which said presettable digit wheels are disengaged from said counting digit wheels, the provision of a presetting mechanism for presetting each of said presettable digit wheels, said presetting mechanism comprising ratchet teeth on said presettable digit wheel, first and second stationary cross-bars, which are transversely spaced apart and extend parallel to said pivotal axis, a presetting slider having a stepping nose and a lug, a tension spring connected between said lug and said first cross-bar, and actuating means operable to move said slider against the force of said spring from a first position to a second position, said tension spring tending to return said slider from said second position to said first position, said first and second cross-bars limiting said movement of said slider to said first and second positions, respectively, constraining means being provided which constrain said slider to move from said first position to said second position along such a path that said nose engages one of said ratchet teeth and imparts a predetermined angular movement to said presettable digit wheel when said lever is in said presetting position and which permit said nose to skip said ratchet teeth as said slider returns from said second position to said first position when said lever is in said presetting position.
 2. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which said constraining means comprise first and second guide slots, which are formed in said slider and when said lever is in said presetting position permit of a movement of said slider between said first and second positions and a pivotal movement of said slider so as to permit said nose to skip said ratchet teeth as said slider returns from said second position to said first position, said first and second cross-bars extend through said first and second guide slots, respectively, said first guide slot has a width which exceeds the diameter of said first cross-bar, said second guide slot has a width which is substantially as large as the diameter of said second cross-bar, and said tension spring is arranged to urge said nose toward said ratchet teeth.
 3. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 2, in which said tension spring is connected to said lug at a point which is spaced from said second guide slot by such a distance that when said lever is in said presetting position said guide slots permit said spring to return said slider from said second to said first position and permit said nose to skip said ratchet teeth.
 4. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which said actuating means comprise a push-button which is separate from and engages said slider and depressible to move the same from said first to said second position, a push-button guide is provided, in which said pushbutton is depressible and arranged to be returned as said slider returns from said second to said first position, and said push-button comprises spring means protruding from said guide toward said slider and limiting the return movement of said push button.
 5. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 4, in which said push-button guide is formed at least in part by an aperture in a hood of said counter.
 6. A presetting mechanism as set forth in claim 4, in which said spring means are integrally molded with said push-button. 